Author's Notes:
Here's Chapter 150 for you!
With November (and NaNoWriMo) fast approaching, I decided to complete a Writing Marathon yesterday (21st October 2023) to give myself the opportunity to write over a longer period. For twelve hours, I did nothing but write, and I wrote over 11k words. I had a lot of fun! I wrote for an hour, then took a few minutes to update everyone on my Instagram stories (Delilah . wise), which became routine. I work well with routines.
Anyway, I finished Chapter 150, but it was 13k words, and I do not want to upload a chapter that big. I'm sure it would put many of you off reading it immediately, and then you might never get around to it. I know that's what would happen to me. So, I decided to split it in half. I'll upload the other half as Chapter 151 in a few days to let everyone read this first.
In other news, I've also finished Chapter 152. For the first time in years, I have a backlog of chapters ready to go, so keep checking in here.
Love, DW
P.S. Enjoy x
Dressed in formal attire, Draco and Hermione mentally prepare themselves for the arduous day ahead. They've been waiting for this day since May, but it took Theo and his colleagues at Goldman's Law Firm months to gather the evidence and statements needed to assemble their case. Draco had spent all day yesterday being debriefed by Theo in preparation for today's trial. Although he was testifying, Draco wasn't a witness to any crimes committed, so he was there as a Death Eater and Dark Lord expert. It wasn't a great title for a Professor of Hogwarts, so he needed to be perceived as professional, hence the outfit.
At eight o'clock sharp, Pansy and Ron floo into Hermione and Draco's house, each carrying a twin as they enter the kitchen. Ron immediately takes Philip from his mother and brings them both screaming and giggling into the living room, where Scorpius is already playing with his bug figures. The children don't need to hear the other adults' conversations.
"How are you feeling?" Pansy asks, giving Hermione the once over and removing a loose thread from the sleeve of her dress.
"I'm a bundle of nerves, and I'm not even testifying," she admits lightly
"And you?" she turns to Draco, who's sat on the couch fastening his boots.
"I'm fine."
"' Course you are." Pansy smiles sarcastically. "Don't worry. All the evidence is against him. Do you really think Shacklebolt will let him get away with making a mockery out of him?"
"It's been a long time since I've known what the Minister is thinking," Hermione points out. "He's totally unpredictable.
"He's going to make an example out of him," Pansy states, sure of herself.
"I hope you're right," Hermione sighs. "Thanks for looking after Scorpius for us. We could've brought him to you."
Pansy scoffs, "You do not want to see the state of our cottage."
"I can hear you," Ron calls from the living room.
"You were supposed to hear me," Pansy calls back, then whispers, "Honestly, what gave him the impression he could do all the handiwork himself. He starts another job without finishing the first or second or third."
"Are you talking about me quietly?" Ron shouts through.
"No, they're leaving." Pansy rolls her eyes, following Hermione and Draco to the floo fireplace. "Good luck, we'll be listening on the radio."
At the Ministry of Magic, Hermione and Draco take the lift down to courtroom one, where the Goldman team are busy setting up their table of notes and evidence. Theo immediately beckons them over. A nervous grin graces his face as he greets them.
"This is it. The day we've been working towards for months. My first big case." Theo hugs them both quickly, needing to get his excitement out. "Draco, you must be sworn in by the Wizengamot's secretary. I'll take you up now. Hermione, Harry's over there if you want to sit with him.
"Okay, thanks."
Draco follows Theo up the winding staircase beneath the Wizengamot's benches to their chambers. The secretary is sat in an alcove with a collection of parchment scattered about her desk.
"Morning again, Cynthia."
The secretary glances over her half-moon glasses, then scans her parchment full of names.
"Mr Malfoy, I hope you read the brief and understand your expectations within the courtroom?" She asks.
"Yes, I have."
"Perfect." Cynthia gestures to a poster on the wall behind her. "Please raise your wand and read the oath."
Draco does as instructed. "I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, do solemnly and sincerely and truly declare and affirm that the evidence I shall give be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth."
"Please sign here," Cynthia orders, handing over a quill. As he signs, Cynthia continues to ramble on, her tone suggesting she's said those exact words a thousand times in her career. "You are under oath to tell the truth for the trial duration. If the Wizengamot discover you have said anything by the truth whilst giving evidence, you will be held in contempt of court. By signing your confirmation, you are agreeing to the law. Understand?"
"Yes."
"Mr Nott, you may escort your witness back to the courtroom."
"Thank you, Cynthia."
Hermione spots Harry quickly. He's sat on the first row of benches with two other aurors that she vaguely recognises. Upon seeing her, he stands up, scoots, and opens his arms for a hug. She immediately falls into her friend's embrace.
"How are you? I feel like it's been ages."
"It has been ages. I haven't seen you since Scorpius' birthday," Harry reminds her.
"Are you coming to our Halloween party?" She asks.
"Of course, I wouldn't miss it. Also, I get a week's paid leave after this trial, so I'll have no excuse."
"Remind Ginny that we have muggles coming, so nothing obviously magical, okay?" Hermione stresses.
"Yes, we're aware. We got your invitation."
Beside them, one of the aurors clears their throat.
"Ah, sorry. This is Peters and Blackwood, the only aurors I currently trust," Harry introduces them.
"Lovely to meet you," Hermione shakes their hands.
"Are you ready?"
"More than ready," Peters sighs.
"We've spent a month going over our case notes and questions. That bastard is going down," Blackwood claims.
"Glad to hear it."
"Mr Potter," Theo calls into the stands, having returned with Draco. "Could we speak for a moment?"
Harry excuses himself from the conversation as Draco arrives. The two aurors awkwardly sit down, ignoring the former Death Eater as he and Hermione sit beside them, leaving a respectable distance between them for Harry.
Not long after Harry takes his seat, they are asked to stand while the Chief Warlock and the Wizengamot members enter. Once they're all in their assigned seats, the Minister for Magic and Chief Warlock, Kingsley Shacklebolt, takes to his podium.
"Please be seated," the Minister orders.
The shuffling of feet is audible as the hundred or more people in the courtroom sit down at their benches. Hermione's eyes fall on the defence lawyer, dressed in a worn suit with greasy greying hair gelled back. He's hunched over his notes, which are strewn across his table, but overall, his demeanour gives off an aura of confidence.
Once everyone is sat, the Chief Warlock opens the trial. "We are gathered here to witness the trial of Alphard Vale. I, Kingsley Shacklebolt, as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, solemnly, sincerely, and truly declare and affirm that the proceeding trial will be conducted fairly and justly. I, as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, will remain impartial, allowing the members of the Wizengamot to arrive at their verdict without my influence."
Draco scoffs, "I don't believe a word of that."
"Please bring the suspect into the courtroom."
Silence befalls the courtroom as three Ministry Officials forcibly push Alphard Vale into the holding cell to the room's left. Almost instantly, Vale's eyes lock onto Harry Potter's with an expression of disappointment and betrayal as he shakes his head slowly.
"We will begin with the opening statement," the Chief Warlock announces before returning to his seat.
Graham Goldman takes to the floor, walking towards the members of the Wizengamot to address them.
"In my career as a lawyer, I have locked away nearly a hundred Death Eater scum in Azkaban, so you can imagine I have a keen eye for identifying the wretched individuals who turn their back on society. When I first read the meticulous case file by Auror Potter against ALphard Vale, I knew the truth, and by the end of this trial, so will you." Goldman pauses for effect, then turns to face Harry. "Harry Potter, the boy who lived too many times to count, the boy who once and for all defeated Lord Voldemort, has grown into the man who has dedicated his life to the fight against Death Eaters. To Auror Potter, this fight is personal, but does he jump to conclusions and accuse every suspicious person in sight?" Goldman asks, looking across the faces of the Wizengamot. "Of course not. Harry Potter has a cool and level head who takes the time to use his auror knowledge and colleagues to investigate his suspicions. In the eyes of most, Harry Potter is the most trustworthy person in the wizarding world, and when he talks, we listen."
Harry ducks his blushing face in embarrassment as the crowd applauds Graham Goldman's opening statement.
The defence lawyer waits for the noise to die before taking to the centre of the floor. He's considerably older than Goldman, but his eyes are sharp as they scan the room.
"Dear members of the Wizengamot, I am Marshal Glask, defence lawyer for those wrongly assumed to be guilty until proven innocent." Glask gestures at the suspect behind his bars. "My client, Mr Alphard Vale, had proved himself time after time to be as patriotic as Mr Potter himself. When he graduated from Hogwarts, Mr Vale attended Auror Training, where he impressed his mentors. Over the years, he quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the youngest Head of the Auror Department in centuries. At forty-two years old, Mr Vale dedicated his life to the fight against Death Eaters. During the second wizarding war, Mr Vale went underground with a team of aurors, working tirelessly to track down Death Eaters to provide information to The Order of the Phoenix. This organisation boasts such members as our Minister and Mr Harry Potter." Following Goldman's technique, he turns to face Harry. "Yet, Mr Potter is here today to accuse Mr Vale of joining the regime he fought to end. Members of the Wizengamot, it has been but three years since the war's end. Do you think a man as strong-willed and determined as Mr Alphard Vale could be so easily brainwashed into becoming what he swore to protect us from? That decision is yours?"
As Marshall Glask returns to his seat, murmurs echo around the courtroom as doubt is placed in the minds of every member of the Wizengamot. A small smile graces the face of Alphard Vale.
Graham Goldman wastes no time calling Harry Potter to the stand as their first witness.
"Good morning, Mr Potter," Goldman greets him. "Please can you confirm that it was you who investigated and wrote the case file against Alphard Vale?"
"It was me who investigated the mole within the Ministry and wrote the case file," Harry answers as instructed.
"Mr Potter, let's start with when you first met Alphard Vale."
"That would be at the trial of Draco Malfoy in May 1998. Mr Vale wasn't impressed with my decision to defend Mr Malfoy, which he made clear to me when I attended Auror Training in September 1999," Harry explains.
"Could you clarify how Mr Vale's disappointment was made clear?"
"Mr Vale was my mentor during my training, which I later discovered was unusual, as he was the Head of the Department. I thought he pushed me harder than the other trainees because he was Head Auror and needed to keep his reputation, but he let slip once that there would be no more defending Death Eater once I graduated from training."
"Did that treatment make you regret not taking the Minister's offer of skipping your NEWTs and joining the training programme a year early?" Goldman asks, causing whispers to spread through the Wizengamot.
"Not at all. I wanted to earn my place in the training programme. I didn't want any special treatment because of who I am," Harry sighs. "I've come to terms with the fact that people are always going to know who I am, but I had hoped the attention would wane once the war was over," he explains.
Across the Wizengamot, Hermione notices many of them have soft, empathetic looks on their faces. Goldman's plan to win people over to Harry's side is working; all Harry has to do is tell the truth. As Goldman sits down, Theo Nott stands up, taking a deep breath before speaking for the first time.
"Mr Potter, you clarified that you investigated the Ministry's mole, not Alphard Vale. Why is that?"
"When my investigation began, my suspicions were not on my boss. I held great respect for Mr Vale at that time," Harry speaks clearly, looking sadly at his former boss.
"How did you know there was a mole within the Ministry?" Theo asks.
"That assumption came after I became suspicious of a Death Eater mole within St Mungo's. May I explain?"
Theo nods. "Go ahead, Mr Potter."
"In May 2000, Ms Granger was on holiday with her husband and their family when a Death Eater brought her a card from the supposed new Dark Lord. He congratulated Ms Granger on her pregnancy, which had not been announced yet. From there, suspicions grew about a mole within St Mungo's. This was confirmed in September 2000, when Ms Granger's son was born, and Magnus Maddox published a prophecy in the Daily Prophet."
Draco doesn't like all this talk of his wife and son, but Hermione quickly grasps his hand, calming him down so he doesn't disrupt the court proceedings.
"Mr Maddox claimed his Death Eater informant had given him information I knew to be confidential within St Mungo's. From this, we became aware that Death Eaters could be hiding in plain sight, in various important roles within our society, including the Ministry," Harry continues.
"If I remember correctly, Mr Potter, wasn't September seventh the date of the Derbyshire uprising?"
"Yes, you're correct. I was visiting my friends at St Mungo's when Mr Vale arrived and informed me of the Death Eater attack on a group of muggle schoolchildren in the Peak District. It was my day off, and many other aurors were available, but I was honoured Mr Vale had tracked me down for this case. I assumed he trusted me and valued my skills. Now, I believe he wanted to distract me from the goings on at St Mungo's."
"When were suspicions of a Ministry mole confirmed?" Theo asks.
"A week later. Mr Malfoy called to inform me Thorfinn Rowle, a Death Eater we arrested in Derbyshire, was outside Malfoy Manor taunting him."
Theo, feigning confusion, asks, "Sorry, what do you mean he called you?"
"On his muggle phone," Harry answers.
"Did you trust his claims?"
"Yes, of course. It's been a slow process, but I have learnt to trust Mr Malfoy," Harry admits.
"What did you do with information?"
"Even though I trust Mr Malfoy, I couldn't go to Mr Vale without checking for myself, so I apparated to the Ministry and ran down to the holding cells. It was late, so the skeleton team was working. I asked if anyone had visited the holding cells, and they assured me no one had since their shift started an hour ago. I entered the holding cells to find Rowle gone."
"What was Mr Vale's reaction when you told him Rowle had escaped?"
"He was visibly furious and launched an investigation to recapture him."
"Did you suspect Mr Vale at this time?"
Harry shakes his head. "No. Mr Malfoy had raised his concerns with Mr Vale heading up the investigative team as it was under his duty that Rowle escaped. I had assured Mr Malfoy that my boss was the best and we could trust him. I later discovered the holding cells' sign-in sheet from the previous team's shift was missing. I still didn't suspect Mr Vale, despite him being the one who collated the sheets."
"When did you suspect the Ministry mole might be coming from within the Auror Department?"
"Two months later, in December."
"What had you done to investigate in that time?"
"I had brought my concerns and suspicions to Mr Vale and requested I start an investigation, but he claimed our efforts were needed on finding Rowle, who continued to evade recapture. We were short-staffed due to a bought of flu spreading through the department, and Rowle is one of the most dangerous men in Britain, so it made sense. That obviously didn't stop me from investigating; I just had to be discreet about it."
"What happened in December, Mr Potter?"
"Ms Tabitha Penn was murdered, and that night, we arrested three Death Eaters, but unbeknownst to the public, one of them had escaped the same night. At Mr. Ron Weasley and Ms Hermione Granger's second interview with Magnus Maddox, he stated that we had two Death Eaters in custody. When I clarified we had three, Mr Maddox told us he had ears everywhere and was aware that the Auror Department had let another Death Eater escape. Since Rowle's escape, only aurors have been guarding the holding cells, and only the Auror Department knew of the escape. Once again, I took my suspicions to Mr Vale, who took me seriously this time. He played along with my concerns and assured me he would look into it, but we had to keep it between us so the culprit didn't become aware."
"Was that a valid excuse?"
Harry smiles. "Mr Vale is a clever man. From then on, we investigated each individual auror in the department, which allowed him to keep an eye on me and my suspicions."
"Did Mr Vale restrict your investigations?"
"It wasn't obvious. We could only investigate at night when there were fewer aurors about. That's when we made our breakthroughs and discovered evidence was being misplaced, files were missing, and witness reports were being recounted or forgotten. It had been going on since August 1999," Harry explains.
"How was it you came to suspect Mr Vale?"
"It was December sixteenth. Mr Vale and I were in one of our meetings when Mr Malfoy and Ms Granger burst into Mr Vale's office, claiming to have solved part of their son's prophecy that we had been stuck on for months. They told us they knew where the Death Eaters had been meeting at the time of the prophecy," Harry explains.
"Tell me what happened afterwards on the night of December sixteenth?"
"Mr Vale dismissed their theory at first," Harry states, shaking his head as he stares at Alphard Vale, locked up in his cell. "He has never liked nor trusted Mr Malfoy, but I was eager to check out the location. Mr Vale tried to dissuade me by placing doubts in my head. He told us it didn't matter as any evidence would have dissipated by now. I didn't pick up on it at this time, but the Auror Department wasn't aware that the Death Eaters had moved on, yet Mr Vale already knew."
"Did you manage to convince Mr Vale to investigate the location?"
Harry chuckled slightly. "Mr Vale knew I was going to that location. The question was whether that was part of an investigation team or on my own, so he agreed, only to keep an eye on me. He organised the B team to apparate to the location."
"Who is the B team?"
"Myself, Ivan Peters, Noah Blackwood, Eleanor Perry and Alex Houston"
"Please continue."
"Upon arrival, Mr Vale immediately ordered Perry and Houston to search the east end of the village and Peters and Blackwood to search the west end. Mr Vale and I took opposite ends of the village's main street."
"Is it usual for aurors to investigate independently?"
"Yes, it is. We went door to door, asking residents and business owners if they had witnessed anything unusual in the previous months. That sort of investigation doesn't require us to work in partnership."
"Did any of you discover anything of interest?"
"Yes, I was informed by a pub manager that he had heard some strange noises coming from the base of the mountains in September. When he looked closer, he saw flashing lights appearing in time with these sizzling noises. That's how most muggles describe apparation. He then confirmed that he hadn't heard or seen anything since, which confirmed the Death Eaters had moved their meeting location. Then, I saw the aurors call to meet at the base of the mountains."
"What is the aurors call?"
"It looks like a purple firework exploding above the meeting location."
"How did you see the fireworks if you were inside the pub?"
"Part of the planning for investigation teams is linking our wands. When one auror sends the call, our wands vibrate to indicate we need to look for the firework to locate where we're meeting," Harry states.
"What had your team found?"
"I apparated to the base of the mountain straight away. Perry and Houston arrived just afterwards. Blackwood asked where Mr Vale was, assuming we had been together. I said he was probably stuck talking to a witness. In his absence, I took the lead despite being one of the newest aurors (compared to my team), but they knew this case was personal to me and worked hard to follow the tasks I had assigned them. I repeatedly sent out more auror calls so Mr Vale would know where to meet when he could apparate. When he eventually arrived, he questioned what we were doing, so I explained the evidence we had already discovered, and I told him about my witness. Mr Vale told us to return to the Ministry to write our reports before going home."
"Did Mr Vale join you at the Ministry?"
"No, not for a while after. When he returned, he looked on edge and asked me to brief him in his office once I finished my report. However, in my eagerness to answer the aurors call, I had made a newbie mistake. I had forgotten to take the address of my witness in case I needed to talk to him again. I quickly returned to the same pub. The bartender recognised me and showed me to the manager's office. However, when I tried to speak to him, he was reluctant and claimed not to know who I was or what I was talking about. I spoke to the bartender, who informed me that someone else had spoken to his boss an hour after me. I assumed a Death Eater had been watching us, but then the bartender described Mr Vale."
Theo pauses for the reveal to settle. Harry again allows his eyes to flicker over to Alphard Vale, sitting in his cell with his arms and feet chained.
"What did you do next, Mr Potter?" Theo asks, drawing back his attention.
"I struggled to believe it, but all the evidence quickly clicked into place, and I had the whole picture. My boss was a Death Eater. I returned to the office and asked my team not to tell Mr Vale I had disappeared if he asked. Then, I went for my briefing with Mr Vale in his office. He praised my initiative to take charge and asked if I was interested in leadership. When I confirmed it was, he suggested I take the management training course, which would have him acting as my mentor again for eighteen months. I suspect he only wanted to keep me close, so I told him I wanted to settle into my current role before advancing since it had only been six months since I had graduated."
Theo nods, flipping through his notes. "That was December, but Mr Vale wasn't arrested until May; why did it take so long after your suspicions were confirmed?"
"I had no evidence that Mr Vale had obliviated the muggle. The bartender described a weird man in robes with wide shoulders, dark hair, and eyes. That also describes a lot of other wizards. I needed concrete evidence before I took this to the Minister, which was a lot harder now Mr Vale was keeping his distance from me. I believe he suspected I was on to him. Things were still going missing, and the odd Death Eater continued to escape, but it now occurred while Mr Vale was either in a meeting with the Minister or with myself, so he had an alibi. Mr suspicion didn't waver though, and slowly, I built my case file."
"Tell me about the day you arrested Mr Vale?"
"That was the day of our Second Anniversary meal. Death Eaters attacked the dinner, and we managed to arrest five. While Mr Vale logged their wands into evidence, I was tasked with taking the last one captured down to the holding cells. Mr Vale had insisted they remained masked in case a member of the public saw us transporting their unconscious bodies. Once all five were locked up, I hid in the corner beneath my invisibility cloak and waited to catch my suspect in the act. I waited two hours for Mr Vale to show up, and when he did, I could barely control my anger."
"What did you witness, Mr Potter?"
"I watched," Harry faces Vale. "As Mr Vale addressed one of the Death Eaters as Ferio and claimed it wasn't the first time he had saved Ferio's skin. Mr Vale introduced himself as Adruo, which pleased Ferio. Mr Vale then handed the Death Eater a flask of polyjuice potion and ordered Ferio to take his wand and stupefy him before escaping. Mr Vale knew he couldn't continue to get away with letting Death Eaters escape and needed the alibi of being unconscious to protect him. Another Death Eater asked what would happen to them, and Mr Vale informed them that Heres had only asked for Ferio to be released, but he didn't care what they did when he was unconscious."
"Did Mr Vale's plan go well?"
"Yes, I had to sit there and let four Death Eaters escape to get Mr Vale. I wasn't prepared to fight, so once the coast was clear, I covered Mr Vale's body with my cloak and took him straight to the Minister's office, where I showed him the case file I had made against Mr Vale."
"Thank you for walking us through your investigation, Mr Potter. I have no further questions. I pass you to Mr Glask for questioning." Theo takes his seat, a proud smile across his face as Goldman leans in to whisper something into his ear.
Mr Marshall Glask gathers his parchments as he paces before Harry on the stands.
"Mr Potter, you claim it was unusual that Mr Alphard Vale was your mentor during your Auror Training, correct?"
"Yes, sir."
"Yet, Mr Alphard Vale has mentored numerous trainee Aurors over the years."
Harry frowns, looking at Mr Glask. "Certainly he has, when he was an Auror, but not as Head of the Department."
"Is it impossible for a Head of the Auror Department to mentor trainee Aurors?"
"Clearly not, since Mr Vale did so, but it wasn't easy. Mr Vale wasn't always available when I needed help or support in my studies. He had a whole department to run, so it was unusual for him to mentor me. I assume it was because I'm Harry Potter. I doubt he would have done it for anyone else."
"Yes, you're Harry Potter, saviour of the wizarding world, who apparently doesn't want any special treatment. Yet, you admit to receiving special treatment and not doing anything to reject the offer."
"Sorry, what are you talking about?" Harry asks, genuinely confused.
"Did you make any attempt to request a different mentor?"
"No, you have to-"
"Deep down, you loved the attention, maybe because you didn't get enough during childhood. I've read your biography, Mr Potter. You grew up with an Aunt and Uncle that didn't love you. How has that affected your adulthood?"
Harry is gobsmacked. "What is the relevancy here?"
"During your Hogwarts year, you basked in the attention of Albus Dumbledore. Upon his death, your thirst for attention leads you to the leader of The Order of the Phoenix, Kingsley Shacklebolt. Once the war ends, you try to settle into a normal life, but it's too mundane. You crave glory too much, so you sign up for Auror Training, where you're placed under the mentorship of Mr Alphard Vale, the Head of the Department. Now you have a new authority figure to give you attention. But all too soon, you graduate Auror Training, and Mr Alphard Vale can no longer dedicate the same level of attention. You needed a way to gain that high you feel when someone of power gives you their attention, and who better than the Minister for Magic."
"W-what?"
Terror shivers down Hermione's back as she realises where the defence is going. Could they get away with accusing Harry Potter of plotting against the Ministry?
"How long did it take you to plan this elaborate hoax to get your boss arrested for being a Death Eater? A man who has proved himself and his loyalties time and time again. A man who took you under his wing to train you. You might have fooled everyone else, Mr Potter, but you hadn't fooled Mr Alphard Vale. He began investigating you and Mr Draco Malfoy after the death of Tabitha Penn."
Draco freezes, but his eyes shift towards the door. There's no way he could make an escape without being caught. If the Wizengamot believed this fool's baseless claims, he would be arrested on the spot and wouldn't stand a chance. Hermione grabs his twitching hands, holding them still.
"That makes no sense," Harry claims, trying to remain calm.
"It makes perfect sense, Mr Potter. You said so yourself. It was a slow process, but you learnt to trust Mr Malfoy. We all know where Mr Malfoy's loyalties once lay; it's not difficult to believe he has returned to the Death Eaters and brought you with him."
"Actually, that is difficult to believe," Harry manages to get out before Mr Glask interrupts again.
"Your statement is full of glaring mistakes, Mr Potter, but let's start with your trust in Mr Malfoy. When did you start trusting him?"
"I don't know, as I said, I happened slowly. I'd forgiven him long before I defended him at his trial. I stopped hating him during our eighth year at Hogwarts, but I didn't start liking him as a person until my Stag Night in August 1999. From there, our friendship slowly developed. I saw how he was with my best friend, Hermione Granger. I knew Ms Granger was falling for him, and I wanted to get to know him better because I didn't want Ms Granger to have to choose between her friends and Mr Malfoy."
"You don't think she would have chosen you and your friends?"
"No, at that time, I think she would have chosen us, and I don't think that would have been fair to either Hermione or Draco," Harry admits.
"So, did you force yourself to befriend Mr Malfoy?"
"No, once I removed the barrier holding me back, it was quite easy to become his friend."
"And you weren't suspicious he was turning your thoughts to follow the New Dark Lord?"
Harry laughs, "No, we rarely spoke about my work initially. Since their son and my youngest son were born, we all talk about the Death Eaters much more. They threatened our families, so we have something in common."
"You mentioned Mr Malfoy numerous times in your statement. He conveniently helped you discover the location of the Death Eaters meetings. You have yet to mention Mr Ronald Weasley. You, him and Ms Granger were once the Golden Trio; what's changed? Has Mr Malfoy replaced him?"
"Not at all, Mr Weasley isn't as involved as the Death Eaters haven't made him or his family a target."
"How convenient? Do you not trust Mr Weasley?"
"I trust Ron with my life," Harry assures Mr Glask.
"Even after he turned his back on you on multiple occasions."
"What occasions?"
"Your biography mentions you and him ignoring each other through most of your fourth year. Mr Weasley also left during your hunt for Horcruxes. Is that true?"
"It's true, but Ron always came back."
"Maybe so, but you can't fully trust him anymore, right?"
"I trust him with my life," Harry repeats.
"But not with your family's life, not with your investigation. Instead, you go to Mr Malfoy, time and time again."
"Mr Malfoy has expertise and experience that Mr Weasley does not. Mr Malfoy has been indispensable during my investigation."
"What information has he given you?"
"We knew from the Death Eaters we arrested that they are now using code names and masks to hide their identity while meeting each other. Mr Malfoy confirmed that while the Death Eaters under Lord Voldemort wore masks, it was to hide their identity from the public, not each other. Voldemort wanted the Death Eaters to know who was one of them so they could all be held accountable. That did backfire, though, as the cowards would turn in their fellow Death Eaters for immunity or a reduced sentence when arrested. Under the New Dark Lord, the anonymity stops them from turning on each other."
"Another one of your mistakes, Mr Potter. You're assuming that Mr Alphard Vale was the one doing the tampering because you allegedly caught him releasing Death Eaters? You aren't actually able to pin the tampering on him."
"I'm not assuming, I know. No one else has enough clearance to access all the missing case files or misplaced evidence."
"And no one could have used an invisibility cloak or Polyjuice potion to bypass the clearance."
Harry remains silent.
"I'll tell you what Mr Alphard Vale believes happened in the holding room that day. He had been suspicious of you for a few months and had asked you to take one of the Death Eaters down to holding as a test. He waited until the coast was clear before visiting the holding cells to check if you had delivered the Death Eater or allowed him to escape. Upon entering, he noticed only four Death Eaters, and when he ran to inform the Minister, you unveiled yourself from your invisibility cloak and stupefied him. Once unconscious, he doesn't know what happened, but when he woke, he found himself in the Ministry's private holding cell and discovered he had been arrested and was being accused of being a Death Eater. The only thing that has kept him sane these last five months is his innocence."
"That is quite the story, Mr Glask, but you omit one key detail. Numerous eyewitnesses saw Mr Vale leave the holding cells that day and leave the Ministry for Magic. Do you believe I stole some of his hair and made a polyjuice potion for the Death Eater to take?"
"You've done it before, Mr Potter. Your biography tells how you, Mr Ronald Weasley and Ms Hermione Granger, took polyjuice potion in your second year at Hogwarts to sneak into the Slytherin common room."
"You know, I didn't write my biography."
"So that didn't happen?"
"It did, but I'm sure whoever wrote it took some creative liberties in the storytelling, and who did they interview because they certainly didn't ask me or my friends," Harry laughs. "Sorry, it's just hit me that you're trying to pin Mr Vale's crimes on me and what was my motive, to get more attention from the Minister of Magic. I'm sorry, Minister," Harry turns to the Chief Warlock. "But I've spent the past five months working closely with you on this case, and I'm looking forward to my week off after this trial." A few chuckles spread through the Wizengamot. "The only attention I crave is from my wife and three sons, which I've missed a lot over the past year that I've been investigating the Ministry Mole. I discovered the St Mungo's Mole, and you all saw my case file. You saw how the evidence was stacked up against Simon Slater. I was sure about him being a Death Eater, but I'm more sure of Mr Vale being a Death Eater."
"I have no further questions for Mr Potter," Mr Glask states, returning to his desk.
While Harry returns to his seat, murmurs ripple around the room as Draco makes his way down to the stands.
"Good luck." Harry pats his shoulder in passing.
Theo quickly reminds Draco to pause after each question to think; since his emotions are running high, they don't want him blurting out the first thing on his mind.
"I'm not an idiot. I've done this plenty of times before," Draco reminds him.
"Marshall Glask is quick with his questions. He will interrupt you to turn your answers back on yourself. You saw how he was with Potter; just be careful," Theo warns, leading him to the stand.
Draco doesn't know if he's ready to be the centre of attention and answer all the questions coming his way. If it's anything like how Harry's questioning went, he might not be going home tonight. Taking a deep breath, he tries to calm himself down. He finds Hermione's face in the crowd, and she smiles reassuringly at him. He wishes he could hold her hand one last time in case this whole trial goes against him.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you so much for reading.
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